So the mechanic I’ve been using for a while tells me there are 2 ways to do it, but he suggests doing a 3rd way which is really a combination of the each. I want to know which way is the right way to do it?

1st option – do a fluid pump out and transfer in new ATF4.
2nd option – drop the transmission pan and let it drain.
3rd option – both 1 & 2

1 – do a fluid pump out and transfer. He disconnects the in-flow and out-flow hoses. Start the Jeep and out-flow drains and in-flow is coming from new clean ATF4. I forget the volume but he says he adds about 4 extra qts of fluid doing it this way for two reasons. One just to be sure everything has been washed out but also b/c of the extra volume in the torque converter. Down side is doing it this way you don’t replace the filter. I also think a big down side is you don’t get to see what’s going on inside the transmission.
2nd option – drop the transmission pan and let it drain. Change the filter and re-fill. The down side to this he tells me is that the torque converter never drains out. Again, I can’t recall the volume but I think he said as much as 3 qts of fluid will stay inside the converter. Since it’s old fluid when you put the new stuff in it’s now mixing with the old fluid as well and you never get a 100% clean system.

3rd option – drop the pan, drain, change filter put all back together. Then do step 1. Obviously this is the most expensive mostly due to the cost of the fluid. Is this overkill?

The KJ Maintenance book only talks about option #2. Is that all I need to do? Does anyone worry about the extra fluid in the torque converter that doesn’t drain out? Is it really an issue? As a side note, my manual says to change the transmission fluid and filter every 60,000. However, the maintenance book I bought for the ‘02’07 KJ says to do it every 30,000 miles. I’ve been doing it every 30,000 – is that the right amount or can I wait? The last time (and first time) I had it done the fluid was very clean when it came out.

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(Formerly just “scoobysnax”) '04 Liberty Limited - 245/70/16 Firestone Destination AT's, Mopar tow hooks, Draw-Tite Class IV hitch, Skid Row Engine & Transmission Skids, Mopar T-Case & Gas Tank Skids, Extended Breather Tubes, Red Top Optima, Sylvania Silver Star head lights, Hella 500FF bumper mounted driving lights

bump

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(Formerly just “scoobysnax”) '04 Liberty Limited - 245/70/16 Firestone Destination AT's, Mopar tow hooks, Draw-Tite Class IV hitch, Skid Row Engine & Transmission Skids, Mopar T-Case & Gas Tank Skids, Extended Breather Tubes, Red Top Optima, Sylvania Silver Star head lights, Hella 500FF bumper mounted driving lights

I've never had any problems just dropping the pan and changing the fluid and filter and have done that on every car I have owned. I did the fluid in the bucket, sucked through the line w/ old going into another bucket trick on my KJ and it was more trouble than I feel it was worth.

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99 TJ
71 C101
04 KJ
03 SFA KJ Sport
LOST JEEPS So-Cal

i recently gave my local dealer the third degree about transmission service
he said that unless you have signs of a need to replace the filter
that JUST a transmission flush is enough.

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